Internal-combustion engine.



C. GROW.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGiNE.

SHEET 1.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24. 19H- Patented Jan. 8

2 SHEETS INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTo R N EY C. GROW. INTERNAL COMBUSTIONENGlNE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 24. 1911.

1,253,171, Patented Jan. 8,1918.

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INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, CHESTER GROW, a citizen of the United States,residing at La Harpe, in the county of Allen and State of Kansas, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines in which a highpressure combustion chamber and a low pressure combustion chamber areemployed, the object inview being to provide in connection with anengineof the type referred to, simple and effective means for igniting acharge in the high pressure combustion chamber and transmitting aportion of the ignited mixture to the low pressure chamber at the timeof ignition of the charge in the high prcssure chamber. a Y

A further object of the invention is to provide means for adjustin orvarying the degree of compression in t e high compression cylinder inorder to insure the ignition of the char es therein.

'lVith t e above and other objects in view, the'in'vention consists inthe novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinfully described, lllustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a sectional view takencentrally of the high and Low pressure cylinders, showing the pistons atthe beginning of their compression strokes.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the pistons at the beginning of theirfiring or working strokes. I

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the pos1- tion of the parts when thehigh and low pressure cylinders are thrown-out of communication witheach other.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken adjacent to the inner head of thelow pressure cylinder.v

Referring to the drawings 1 designates the high pressure cylinder and 2the low pressure c linder, the same being preferably forme integrallywith each other as shown a1thou h it will be obvious that they may beforme separately and fastened together if found desirable. The highpressure cylinder is located at one end of and forms a lon- PatentedJan. e, was.

gitndinal extension of the high pressure cyl- The Valve 5 serves torelieve vacuum in the high compression cylinder, also to relievecompression and prevent the formation of a cushion in said high pressurechamber, and said valve also acts as a compression head, against whichthe charges are compressed by the action of the high pressure pistonworking in said cylinder. The valve 5 has an outwardly extending stem 6and is surrounded by a compression spring 7 which is arranged'between acollar 9 on the'stem 6 and a head 8 on'the guide 4 through which thevalve stem 6 is slidable.

Application filed July 24, 191?. Serial No. 182,468. I l

The low pressure piston is indicated at 10 l and has extending therefrominto the high pressure cylinder 1 a high pressure iston 11. Both pistonsare equipped wit the usual packing rings and the high pressure piston 11is formedwitha firing port or passage 12 extending longitudinallythrough a part of the high pressure piston and having a laterallyopening po nt 13. The cylinder 1 is provided with a firing port orpassage 14; corresponding substantially in shape and capacity with thefiring port 12 in the high pressure piston 11. The ort 14 is howeverdisposed reversely to the port 12 and has a lateral port or opening 15through the inside wall of the cylinder 1.

The low pressure cylinder is shown as provided with a laterally offsetvalve chamber 16 at one side of which is arranged a spring seated intakevalve 17 while at the opposite side of said chamber is the exhaust valve18. Any suitable operatingrmeans, may be used in conjunction with thevalves 5 and 18 for operating the same at the proper intervals,

" compression stroke until the port 13 is covered by the high pressurecylinder. Prior to that time part of the mixture in the low compressionchamber has been forced through the passage 14; into the highcompression cylinder. Just as the port 13 is I a covered by the highcompression cylinder,

- compressed b as the extremity'of the high pressure istonf com-ireaches the limit of its movement an presses the charge in thehighpressure cylinder to the ignition point, the ports 13 and 15 registerand a portion of the ignited charge in the cylinderl rushes through theport 15 and passage 14 and ignites the relatively large charge inthe'low compresslon cylinder 2. The ports 13 and 15 are then coveredduring the remainder of the firing or working stroke. In the exhauststrokes, the valves 5 and 18 are unseated by the operatin connectionsreferred to thus allowing for the free exhaust of the burned gases fromboth the high compression and low compression cylinders. In the fullsuction stroke, the valve 17 opens automatically to let in a freshcharge of mixture while the valve 5 opens to relieve the vacuum whichwould otherwise be created in the high pressure cylinder 1. Thus thevalve 17 opens once only in each complete cycle of the engine while thevalve 5 opens twice during such complete cycle of the engine. The valve5 of course remains closed during the firing stroke and at such timeforms the ,headof the high pressure cylinder against which the chargecontained therein is compressed to a high degree by the piston 11.

It will be observed that the engine does away with the presentunreliable system of ignition and also embodies an extremely simpleconstruction, the engine being thus particularly adapted for use inconnection with aeroplanes, dirigibles and other aircraft.

I claim I 1. In an internal combustion engine, a low pressure cylinder,a high pressure cylinder extending from one end of the low pressurecylinder, said" high and low pressure cylin ders having theirlongitudinal axes coincident, a low pressure piston operating in the lowpressure cylinder, a high pressure piston having a fixed relation to andprojecting from the low pressure piston, and a vacuum and compressionrelief valve in the head of the high compression cylinder, the highcompression cylinder and the high compression piston being formed withfiring passages which are brought into communication when the highpressure piston reaches the point of highest compression in the highpressure cylinder, whereby a portion of the mixture ignited at suchpoint is transmitted to the low pressure cylinder to ignite the chargetherein.

, the point of highest cylinder,

2. In an internal combustion engine, a. low pressure cylinder, a highpressure cylinder extending from one end of the low pressure cylinder,said high and low pressure cylinders having their longitudinal axescoincident, a low pressure piston operating in the low pressurecylinder, :1 high pressure piston having a fixed relation to andproecting from the low pressure piston, and a vacuum and compressionrelief valve in the headof the high compression 0 linder, the highcompression cylinder an the high compression piston being formed withfiring passages which are brought into communication when the highpressure piston reaches compression in the high pressure cylinder,whereby a portion of the mixture ignited at such point is transmitted tothe low pressure cylinder to ignite the charge therein, the low pressurecylinder being controlled by an intake valve and an exhaust valveadjacent to the head thereof.

3. In an internal combustion engine, a low pressure cylinder, ahighpressure cylinder 1 extending from one end of the low pressure saidhigh and low pressure cylinders having their longitudinal axescoincident, a low pressure piston operating'in the low pressurecylinder, a high pressure piston having a fixed relation to andprojecting from the low pressure piston, and a vacuum and compressionrelief valve in the head of v the high compression cylinder, the highcompression cylinder and the high compression piston being formed withfiring passages which are brought into communication when the highpressure piston reaches the point of highest compression in the highpressure cylinder, whereby a portion of the mixture ignited at suchpoint is transmitted to the low pressure cylinder to ignite the chargetherein, each of said firing passages embodying a portionextendinglongitudinally of the respective part in which it is formed andalso embodying a laterally opening )ort intersecting said longitudinalportion 0 the passage, one of said lateral ports opening into the highcompression cylinder and the other of said ports opening into the lowcompression cylinder.

' 4. In an internal combustion engine, a low pressure cylinder, a highpressure cylinder extending from one end of the low pres sure cylinder,said high and low pressure cylinders having their longitudinal axescoincident, a low pressure piston operating in the low pressurecylinder, a high pressure piston having a fixed relation to andprojecting from the low pressure piston, and a vacuum and compressionrelief valve in the head of the high compression cylinder, the highcompression cylinder and the high compression piston being formed withfir ing passages which are'brought into communication when the highpressure piston reaches the point of highest compression ishingthe'distance between said wire and in the high pressure cylinder,whereby a i the adjacent head of the high ressure pieportion of themixture ignited at such point ton when the latter is at the limit oftits com 1o is transmitted to the low pressure cylinder pressingmovement.

5 to ignite the charge therein, said vacuum In testimony whereof I a mysignature,

and compression relief valve being adjustable for the purpose ofincreasing or dimin- I CSTER GRUWO

